The Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) has announced the GB&I Vagliano team will once again be captained by Aberdeen lawyer, Elaine Farquharson-Black, who led the GB&I side to a memorable 11½-8½ win over the USA in the Curtis Cup at Dun Laoghaire in June this year. Elaine, a member of Deeside Golf Club said, “I am delighted to be continuing as captain of the GB&I team for the Vagliano Trophy. I look forward to working with another talented group of golfers to prepare for the challenge of winning the match against the Continent of Europe next year.”

Cork’s Claire Coughlan-Ryan, a former Curtis Cup player who also spent a period in the professional ranks, will continue as captain of the GB&I team for the Junior Vagliano Trophy. The Junior match will be played alongside the senior international match at the same venue. Helen Hewlett will continue as the manager for both teams. The Vagliano Trophies will be played at Circolo Golf Bogogno in Italy from 30 June – 1 July.

Ten players, who may be amongst those playing themselves into consideration for selection to the Great Britain and Ireland Vagliano team, have been invited to join Elaine and Helen at pre-Christmas

session at The Belfry on 21st & 22nd December.

Emma Allen, England

Lianna Bailey, England

Gemma Clews, England

India Clyburn, England

Maria Dunne, Ireland

Alice Hewson, England

Sophie Lamb, England

Leona Maguire, Ireland

Olivia Mehaffey, Ireland

Lizzie Prior, England

The GB & I Team of 8 players for the Vagliano Trophy will be announced on Thursday 18th May 2017. The team will comprise of;

a). The top 4 players from the World Amateur Golf Rankings @ 17th May 2017.

b). The No 1 & No 2 players from the LGU Order of Merit. - should a player have already qualified via a) the place will be deferred to method c).

c). 2 players or more depending on (b) above will be selected by the International Selection Panel.

The Junior Vagliano team of 6 players aged Under 16 on 1st January 2017 will be chosen by the International Selection Panel. All players are encouraged to boost their chances of selection by playing in all LGU Order of Merit events prior to the team announcement.

Player Information

Emma Allen, 19, England – member of the England team that won the European Ladies’ Team Championship in Iceland this year. As a student at University of Missouri, recorded a career best

second place finish in the Web.com Intercollegiate Championship. Runner-up in the English Girls' U18 Open Amateur Championship in 2015.

Lianna Bailey, 19, England – finished fourth in the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy and the Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championship this year. Also reached quarter-finals of the Spanish

International Ladies' Championship.

Gemma Clews, 22, England – finished fifth in the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy and the Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championship, and sixth in the English Women's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2016. Played for England in the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico. Represented GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy in 2015.

India Clyburn, 20, England – winner of Mercedes Collegiate with NC State University in 2016. Set record winning margin (12 strokes) at 2014 Scottish Girls U21 Championship. 2014 English Girls Champion. Winner of the 2014 English Girls Order of Merit.

Maria Dunne, 33, Ireland – finished third at the 2016 Scottish Ladies Open Championship and 9th and the 2016 Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championship. Member of the winning GB&I Curtis Cup

team in 2016.

Alice Hewson, 19, England – runner-up in The Schooner Fall Classic and tied fourth in the English Women’s Amateur in 2016. Winner of the Cougar Classic and Lady Paladin Invitational in 2015.

Member of the winning GB&I Curtis Cup team in 2016. Played for England in the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico. Represented GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy in 2015.

Sophie Lamb, 19, England – winner of the 2016 British Women’s Stroke Play Championship, 5th in the English Women’s Open Amateur Match Play Championship, 6th in the English Women's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship and 8th in the Spanish Ladies Amateur this year.

Leona Maguire, 22, Ireland – winner of the McCormack Medal in 2015 and 2016 as the world’s leading amateur golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™. Won the Smyth Salver as the leading

amateur at the Ricoh Women's British Open this year. Played for GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy in 2009, 2011, 2015. Member of the winning GB&I Curtis Cup teams in 2010, 2012 and 2016.

Olivia Mehaffey. 19, Ireland – two tournament wins in 2016, including the Irish Women's Open and Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championships. Played for GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy in 2015. Member of the winning GB&I Curtis Cup team in 2016, securing 3½ points. Played in the 2013 Vagliano Trophy. Represented Ireland in the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico, winning a bronze medal.

Lizzie Prior, 19, England – winner of the 2016 and 2015 Critchley Salver. Won her first US Collegiate event in 2016, the Battle of Boulder Creek II. Finished runner-up in the English Women’s Amateur this year. 2015 winner of England Golf’s Girl’s Order of Merit. Represented England in the European Ladies Team Championships in 2015.

Vagliano Trophy

Since 1959, the Vagliano Trophy has been played biennially between GB&I and the Continent of Europe. GB&I has won on 16 occasions while Continent of Europe has won the match 12 times, with one match being tied. The Junior Vagliano Trophy match between GB&I and the Continent of Europe was introduced in 2011 and is also played biennially. The Continent of Europe has won on all three occasions is has been played.